The Master Plumbers College of Excellence is the home of M P A Training, a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). 2015 Celebrated the delivery of the Traditional Trade Course for the Certificate III in Plumbing which is wholly delivered within your industry run and industry owned facility. There have been no reduction in the 864 nominal hours of training within the Industry College.

The Training College was established substantially to provide for improving the relevance of and accessibility to training for the plumbing industry.

The focus of training cater for:

New Apprentice Entrants to the Plumbing and Services Industries including apprenticeships, primarily in CPC32413 Certificate III in Plumbing.

School-based Apprentices in Plumbing, Draining and Gasfitting.

Existing Workers being retrained in new and emergent technologies. This training would include training in Association sponsored non-accredited courses already in existence such as a course in Sustainable Plumbing Practices and courses yet to be developed in including a course in the installation and maintenance of Grey Water Systems.

Existing Workers wishing to complete the CPC32413Certificate III in Plumbing and CPC40912Certificate IV in Plumbing (Operations) leading to the issue of a plumbing contractor’s license.

Workplace Health and Safety Training for new entrants and existing workers requiring training in Workplace Health and Safety (fee for service courses to be developed such as Safe Work Method Statements, Safety Management Systems, Entry into Confined Spaces and Working at Heights).

Master Plumbers Association of NSW (MPA NSW) is currently working with the Fire and Protection Association of Australia to provide specialist training in upskilling plumbers for fire protection and alarm panel works especially in relation to Nursing Home upgrades and retrofitting.

The Master Plumbers College of Excellence operates in a manner that not only supports the industry with professional development but re-engages the plumbing contractors who have given up training apprentices by consulting with them in the training process and encouraging their involvement in the training process.

M P A Training delivers a traditional program which draws competencies from all five streams so as to train apprentices in the wider scope of plumbing services

It is believed that this approach will increase the training positions available for apprentices and in turn increase the number of plumbing apprentice outcomes each year.

It is well known by the Association, that for many rural and regional plumbers there are “no” real learning choices when completing training as a plumber. The choice is whether to leave the various rural and regional localities to complete their non-trade training as a licensed plumber to become a contractor. Following completion of this training, they rarely return to the regional areas, thus further emphasising the skills shortage.

It is the Association’s intention to address this problem so that regional plumbers can work and train in their regional localities and when required to attend an assessment or examination that this is done in such a way to substantially reduce the travelling time lost time to ensure NSW regional localities have a reliable supply of plumbers in training.

The College is open to all apprentices wishing to undertake a Certificate III in Plumbing with a 5 stream outcome. Apprentices and existing workers can be engaged in the following categories;

Plumbing streams

Plumbing covers educational streams in the following;

Water (including some fire units)

Sanitary Drainage

Drainage

Gasfitting

Roof Plumbing

Common plumbing units

Common units provide an introduction for apprentices to the plumbing industry and allows them to learn general skills in welding and cutting, pipes and tubes, fixing devices and sheet metal practices. What may be termed common sense and hand skills for tool selection maintenance and storage, fit into this category as well.

These units are contextualised over the three years of off the job training and apprentices are assessed on a number of occasions before being deemed competent.

Water units (including some fire units)

Students obtain the knowledge and experience of designing and installing of a range of different water supply types including water heating systems, water pumps & drinking water.

Fire units in the water stream Students gain experience in fabricating and installing fire hydrants and hose reel systems as well as installing home sprinkler systems.

Sanitary units

Sanitary units cover hot & cold water services, discharge pipes and sanitary fixtures such as baths, basins, sinks, showers, etc. This stream also covers septic systems as well as recycled water requirements and components.

Drainage units

Apprentices study units involving drainage systems, waste disposal, treatment plants, draining a worksite and working with blockages. Practical and assessment are within a customised sand pit up to 2 metres deep.

The water stream also covers water main connections and connecting to various other water supplies being recycled or tanks. Mains to meter connections and irrigation system installations.